Eutropios, Kleonikos, Vasiliskos, Zenos, and Zoilis the Martyrs Reading from the Synaxarion: These saints lived during the reign of king Diocletian in 296.They came from Amasia, the famous city in Cappadocia at the Black Sea. They were relatives and fellow-soldiers with St. Theodore of Tyre. Having been accused to governor Asclepiodotes, they were strongly beaten. St. Eutropios received wounds on his mouth, because he insulted the governor. However, although the soldiers who were hitting them were paralysed and tired, the saints were cured, because the Lord and holy martyr Theodore of Tyre had appeared to them. When they saw this miracle, many unbelievers believed in Christ and were beheaded. When the governor saw these things, he changed behaviour and tried to move St. Kleonikos from Christ's faith with flatteries. He gave him presents and promised to give him more but not only wasn't the saint's mind changed but he even got angry and ridiculed both the governor's lack of understanding as well as the idols' weakness. So, while the governor and the rest of the Greeks were offering sacrifices to their gods, St. Kleonikos prayed and toppled Diana's idol down. When the idolaters saw this, they burnt with anger, boiled tar and asphalt in three boilers and poured them on the three Christian martyrs' backs. However, the martyrs were preserved unharmed but the servants who were pouring the mix were completely burnt. After this Sts. Eutropios and Kleonikos were crucified, received the crown of martyrdom and went to eternal life. St. Basiliscus on the other hand was thrown to prison, where he died after he had spent quite some time there. Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful. Kontakion in the Fourth Tone Since divine Eutropius and Basilicus and the famed Cleonicus were bound in unity of faith, they cut asunder the foe's arrays when they contended courageously for the Lord.